Boy it’s getting cold outside! Where did the [poor excuse for] summer go?! Chilly mornings, shorter days and bleak nights ahead. It can only mean one thing….”Winter is coming!” Remedy for this? Get yourself warmed up from the inside out by tucking into a comforting bowl of hot tasty noodles at Kanada-Ya – the ramen experts! Their hand pulled noodles are made to your liking (extra hard, hard, regular or soft) and immersed in an amazing velvety 18-hour pork bone broth that’s jam-packed full of flavour.

Diners in the bright, compact restaurant

Having walked past the Covent Garden branch countless times and being put off by the long queues, I finally decide to join it. 15 minutes later we are seated in a small, brightly lit restaurant by the window (thankfully not the side the queue is up against). It’s a good sign when you see Japanese diners about.

Cutlery, seasoning and garnish on the table

Our order is promptly taken…we skip the small plates and go straight to the main event. I opt for the Spicy Yuzu Ramen and my friend has the Tonkotsu X – both with hard noodles as recommended.

I sip on my refreshing elderflower fizz and then instantly, the food is out before you can say “Where’s my ramen?!”. The bowls are similarly presented – garnished with a sheet of dried seaweed on the side and topped with wood ear fungus (type of mushroom) and spring onions.

Tonkotsu X

Whilst it’s a bit cheeky to charge £2 extra for an egg (it usually comes as standard), these were no ordinary eggs….chashu cured burford brown ones and damn were they good – pricey, but worth it!

Deliciously soft boiled egg

Succulent slices of tender pork with thin ramen noodles all drenched in that broth mmmm just heavenly! Seasoned so well…there’s a good balance of flavours with every mouthful. Just the right amount of spice, rich but not too heavy, making it so addictively slurp-able.

Spicy Yuzu Ramen

I finish the whole thing, probably quicker than the time it took to serve it and regret not going for the extra portion of noodles. Note for next time!

Not a place to have a leisurely dinner date but certainly a cheap and cheerful meal! Top tip: load up on extra noodles and go for the extra hard if you want a bit of bite, al dente style!